How to Win BFCM This Year

Every founder says they’re going to crush BFCM.
Only a few actually do.

The ones who win aren’t lucky. They’re intentional. They know their numbers, plan ahead, and turn chaos into a system.

Here’s how to make this your highest-performing BFCM ever, using tactics pulled straight from top-performing Shopify brands.

If your discount is “20% off sitewide” and that’s it, you’re leaving money on the table.

The best brands create layers of offers that build urgency and reward loyalty.

Here’s a simple framework:

Tier 1: VIP Early Access
Go live 3–5 days early. Make it invite-only for your email and SMS subscribers. Offer your biggest discount, like 25% off, and position it as an insider benefit.

Tier 2: Main Public Sale
Once the early access window closes, drop your public sale. Offer 20% off and throw in a free gift with purchases over $100 to lift AOV.

Tier 3: Final 24 Hours
End with urgency. Add a sweetener like “Extra 5% Off” or “Free Express Shipping.”

Your best BFCM customers already bought from you before. They trust you.

Create a dedicated “Reactivation Flow” that targets people who purchased during last year’s BFCM window.

Use personalized language like:

Include a dynamic product block that shows what they bought last time.

This one flow can easily drive 10 to 20 percent of your total BFCM revenue.

Selling out doesn’t have to mean missing out.

When a product runs out of stock, replace the product page with a “Join the Waitlist” message. Offer 10% off when it’s back.

Tag these signups as “Restock Waitlist” in Klaviyo and send them a personalized message once you restock.

This move turns FOMO into your next sales spike.

Brands like Cuts and BrüMate use this exact play to keep the funnel alive even when inventory runs out.

If you aren’t offering a one-click upsell after checkout, you’re leaving money behind.

Tools like Rebuy, CartHook, or Zipify OCU make this dead simple.

Test offers like:

Make it easy to say yes. One click. No re-entering payment info.

The smartest teams treat BFCM like mission control.

Build a live dashboard that tracks:

Use a shared Google Sheet or plug in Lifetimely or Triple Whale.

Then post updates in a Slack channel throughout the weekend. When everyone sees the numbers in real time, the energy stays high and issues get solved fast.

It’s easy to obsess over new customers during BFCM. But the profit comes from what happens after.

Here’s how to bake retention into your plan:

The best operators use BFCM to seed long-term customer relationships, not just one-time purchases.

Your popup will collect more leads during BFCM than any other time of the year.

So don’t use your regular one.

Here’s a high-converting format:
Headline: “Black Friday Early Access – 25% Off Sitewide”
Subheadline: “Sign up now. The sale starts early for insiders.”
Form: Email + SMS

If you want to take it further, use Black Crow AI to show personalized popups to high-value visitors. You’ll double your conversion rate before the sale even starts.

The worst time to launch ads is Thanksgiving week.

CPMs explode, competition spikes, and even great ads get buried.

Instead, start early.

Then use retargeting and email to cash in when the sale goes live.

Plant the seeds early so you can harvest them profitably.

The least sexy but most important part of BFCM is inventory.

No marketing plan can save you if you run out of your bestsellers.

Audit your top products now:

If you can, pre-pack your top SKUs and set up a “Fast Ship” zone in your warehouse. Customers who get their orders first often become repeat buyers.

Winning BFCM isn’t about luck or loud discounts. It’s about planning, precision, and execution.

Get your systems in place now so that when the weekend hits, you’re not reacting — you’re dominating.

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